The Storm in the Heart of the Sun

Again, here's the same quote as posted previously ~~ with a different focus: the storm in the heart of the sun. Since time immemorial, we humans have looked up into the heavens. We have followed the progress of the sun and the moon and the stars. We have watched the various styles of weather and shifts in our capacity to see.

We also follow the effect of the sun and the moon on our planet ~ and on ourselves. In this snippet of the mythos of Dr. Who, he is a Storm of the Sun. This correlates most closely with what we know and name Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections which "are extremely large explosions on the photosphere. In just a few minutes, the flares heat to several million degrees F. and release as much energy as a billion megatons of TNT. ...

Solar flares emit x-rays and magnetic fields which bombard the Earth as geomagnetic storms. ...during sunspot maximums, the Earth will see an increase in the Northern and Southern Lights and a disruption in power grids and radio transmissions. The storms can even change polarity in satellites which can damage sophisticated electronics." [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=sunspots]

A Storm in the Heart of the Sun. Think about the power of that image; the possibility of influence over a vast array of power. What would you do with that kind of power? What in your life influences you that much, that completely? How many 'storms' have you weathered? and of what magnitude?

Ancient and Forever

Doctor Who, The Family of Blood, 2 June 2007:

Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever... He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe... And... he's wonderful.

What fantastic writing!
At first read, the phrase "ancient and forever" appears redundant. Especially since the tone and tense of the statements remains in the present. Ancient generally implies the past, but clearly not in this statement. It's about a being that has been alive for a very, very long time. Forever implying that this being will continue on for a very long time as well.

I know that this particular quote came from a Doctor Who episode ~ yet it can describe any being from any mythology with an eternal presence. Ancient and forever ~ past, present and future ~ one who is everpresent in the conscious world.

That's why the writing is so glorious! Paul Cornell, the writer of this episode, captures the essence of the eternal being in mythology. The obverse is that this being is also ageless.... and capable of changing appearance!

What do you think of when you hear the phrase "ancient and forever"? How important is an eternal being in your life?